Infective Endocarditis after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implatation.

Abstract

Introduction: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation has emerged as an effective alternative to the traditional method of surgical aortic valve replacement in high risk or inoperable patients. Infective endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a post-operative complication with a high rate of mortality, and thus far, very few cases of successful surgery have been reported.

Case presentation: The authors report the case of a patient that underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation and developed an infective endocarditis following the procedure. Corrective surgery for transcatheter aortic valve's removal and aortic valve replacement was successfully performed.

Conclusions: Given the increasing use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation, endocarditis will become increasingly relevant in the near future. As in conventional aortic prosthesis, for some cases, medical therapy alone is not enough. Under optimal conditions, surgery is a safe option and should be considered and discussed in a Heart Team, patient by patient.